Hooray, a new Rescue Beauty Lounge collection! This collection is called Anatomy of a #KDrama and is inspired by Korean melodramas. Please enjoy the press release from creator Ji Baek, swatches of all the colors and my reviews below the jump: (FYI, this is a long post)
Picture this: A really hot, rich boy (his parents practically own the country—think Samsung!) falls in love with a plain Jane, a pitifully poor girl whose family was financially ruined by loan sharks. The boy’s equally wealthy best friend falls in love with her too, and they even come to blows over the girl. She is without a clue since she is often too exhausted from taking care of her family—and working two or three jobs. It takes about 8 episodes for this couple to hold hands; we don’t know which of the boys she will choose, she may have held hands with both of them. They reach into their bottomless wallets to give her makeovers—in fact, one of their fathers owns the department store! (Oh Snap!)Ji's comments on each color will precede the photos and then I will add my take below. Enjoy!
Enter the boy’s no-nonsense Korean tiger mom who always has a rich girl for him to marry (think company merger), someone he loathes. There are loads of schemes to get rid of the poor girl, even if his mother has to hire a hit man. Yes, there will be a kidnapping and perhaps some injuries, you name it—I’m scared for her too, no lie. It takes about 16 episodes for these two to kiss and overcome her accidents, hospital recoveries, etc. They promise never to part. But wait! Something else surfaces, after the boy’s friend digs up the girl’s family history, it turns out that the couple are exactly like Romeo and Juliet, their ancestors were enemies and the reason why her family is destitute.
What will she do? Will she honor her family and reclaim their wealth? Or does she abandon ship?!
Anatomy of a #KDrama is my latest collection, brought about by my newest compulsion.
–Ji Baek
Instant Amnesia - This is the perfectly neutral balance between fawn and taupe, a lofty palate cleanser with a tinge of attitude. Its flawless beauty is infused with flutters of silver, green, and pink shimmer. Once you wear it, Instant Amnesia will erase your memory of all the bad nail polish colors from your past.
I love this color. Like, really LOVE. It is edgy but classic at the same time. A little dirty but still professional. The shimmer ties it all together to be a perfect any occasion color for me, or anyone! Application was ok, I had some leveling issues on the second coat so I used three here.
Oh Slap! - The quintessential flushed cheeks for your nails, Oh Slap! goes on as a sheer pink in one coat with opaque coverage in two coats. This is THE PERFECT PINK; the formula is flawless and streak-free and is not pastel or white-based. You can practically apply it with your eyes closed.
I'm a pink girl, it's the color I own the most of, so when I read the description of this one I knew it would be a winner. When I saw it, I was so happy with it that I couldn't stop grinning and I put it on immediately! Seriously, the best pink RBL has ever done in my opinion. Milky, feminine, uber glossy, just wow. I used three coats.
Will They Or Won't They - Will They Or Won't They catches the sun's rays as it glides on your nails. A gentle cascade of the tiniest silvery, blue-green micro glitter softly flows on a pool of doleful lavender. Sheer coverage in one coat, opaque in two.
Purple polish and me don't always get along, but lavender usually seems to work out ok. Will They Or Won't They is somewhat a cousin of one of my favorite RBLs Insouciant, it's similar but definitely stands on its own feet. It is lighter and more feminine, softer but also more complex. I don't know if I'm totally in love with the amount of micro flake bits in this, but I do like the overall color. This is two coats, excellent formula.
Cue the Montage - Yellow chartreuse is the most difficult color to wear; it was a daring task to try to create one that would be suitable for all skin tones. Cue the Montage has a different texture than any other RBL nail polish. It dries matte and textured, so you must apply a basecoat and topcoat for the full effect. This color has a glittery silver that peeks through in glorified harmony. Warning: The glitter in this bottle does not appear the same when applied to nails; it has a sandwiched effect.
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| without top coat |
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| with top coat |
I was blown away by this in the bottle, even though I knew it would look different when applied. When I took the plunge and put it on I was neither disappointed or elated at the outcome. I actually love odd colors like this and the glitter seemed like just the right amount of sparkle. I'm not in love with the matte/textured effect it has alone and the chalky consistency made it a little difficult to apply evenly. I quite prefer it with top coat. I used two coats.
Not Your Baby - A deceitfully mysterious brown-bronzy-sage-green duo chrome, Not Your Baby is a classic RBL chameleon nail polish--its identity changes depending on the light. Trickery plays. This color may appear to be brown with a cast of sage-green shimmer in a certain light, and yet bronze in the next moment.
I immediately thought of Scrangie 2.0 when I saw this guy. It is definitely a much lighter and cooler bronze but it has similar qualities. This could get brush-strokey and kinda seize up like ultra metallics do if you go at it with a heavy hand, but a softer touch results in a foil-like blanket on your nails. I love the dark pink microglitter in this, I wish I could get it to pick up better in the pictures. I actually don't feel like I could get a good picture of this at all, boo. It's one you definitely must see in person. This is two coats.
Burn The Evidence - Burn The Evidence has a finely milled panache glitter that is not only jammed-packed with a mélange of red, gold, orange, and copper glitters, but it also provides that dash of ash-black brilliance. This color fully covers in two full coats and has a flaming three-dimensional depth. Your hot nails will look like they're on fire.
This is a fabulous polish! I love dense glitters that you can make opaque easily and this is one of those. I felt like I was the subject of that Alicia Keys song with this on, these nails are on fiiiirrrraaaahhh! I love this coppery red color and it was easy to apply. Dries matte so if you want a shiny effect be sure to use a top coat. This is two coats with top coat.
Monologue - Virtuously inky, Monologue's navy blue base is embedded with a soliloquy of elegant light-blue shimmer. Even in low light, this solitary dark blue retains its color and does not appear to be black. Monologue has a smooth, undemanding application; this color is darkly pigmented yet calmingly engaging.
I like Monologue very much, it's a fabulous jewel toned navy blue. It's inky and sophisticated with an uber sexy bright shimmer. Great application, maybe a little on the thin side but it covers completely in two coats.
I really like this collection, and even though I've never seen any #KDrama, I used to watch soap operas when I was in middle school so I can totally appreciate the inspiration haha! I would say my favorites are Instant Amnesia and Oh Slap!
The pre-sale starts this Friday 6/20 (my birthday!) and goes for 48 hrs, ending 6/22 at noon est. You can only get the link to the pre-sale emailed to you if you sign up for the RBL email list on their website beforehand. They will be available for purchase like normal at a later date if you cannot participate in the pre-sale. Each bottle is $20.
Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes are created with resin and high molecular polymers to improve flexibility, durability, and high shine. They contain no harmful Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP, and Formaldehyde Resin. They do not test on animals.
Be sure to check out the other RBL bloggers' reviews of these beauties: Scrangie, NailsandNoms, Polish Police, Fashion Polish, Peachy Polish, Makeup Withdrawal, Refined and Polished, Manicurator and also watch vlogger Warm Vanilla Sugar's review on YouTube. What do you think about this collection? Any that you are dying to have? Are any of them definite no's for you? Tell me all about it! See ya next time dolls <3
Product samples were provided for consideration.
